The distinguishing trait of people accustomed to good society is
a calm, imperturbable quiet which pervades all their actions and
habits, from the greatest to the least. They eat in quiet, move
in quiet, live in quiet, and lose their wife, or even their
money, in quiet; while low persons cannot take up either a spoon
or an affront without making such an amazing noise about it.
- Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton

Manners are of more importance than laws. Upon them, in a great
measure, the laws depend. The law touches us but here and there,
and now and then. Manners, are what vex or soothe, corrupt or
purify, exalt or debase, barbarize or refine us, by a constant,
steady, uniform, insensible operation, like that of the air we
breathe in. They give their whole form and color to our lives.
According to their quality, they aid morals; they supply them or
they totally destroy them.
- Edmund Burke

Manners are what vex or soothe, corrupt or purify, exalt or
debase, barbarize or refine, by a constant, steady, uniform,
insensible operation, like that of the air we breathe in. They
give their whole form and colors to our lives. According to
their quality they aid morals, they supply them, or they totally
destroy them.
- Edmund Burke

I really think next to the consciousness of doing a good action,
that of doing a civil one is the most pleasing; and the epithet
which I should covet the most next to that of Aristides, would be
that of well-bred.
- 4th Earl of Chesterfield, Philip Dormer Stanhope

Prepare yourself for the world, as the athletes used to do for
their exercises; oil your mind and your manners, to give them the
necessary suppleness and flexibility; strength alone will not do.
- 4th Earl of Chesterfield, Philip Dormer Stanhope

Manners must adorn knowledge, and smooth its way through the
world. Like a great rough diamond, it may do very well in a
closet by way of curiosity, and also for its intrinsic value; but
it will never be worn, nor shine, if it is not polished.
- 4th Earl of Chesterfield, Philip Dormer Stanhope, Letters